THE GREAT CORDILLERA. 



171 



curious to see the gravity and caution with which 

 the party regained the road. 



During this singular operation, one of the party 

 was for a long time endeavouring to catch his mule, 

 who had escaped, and who managed just to keep 

 out of his reach. When his master ran he ran : 

 he followed his example when he walked, and at 

 last, when my companion threw himself down on 

 the snow quite exhausted, the cunning creature 

 stood still and looked at him. 



As I found that my mule still went very well, I 

 cut across the snow, and saved more than a mile, 

 though I had some places to descend which no 

 animal but a mule could have accomplished. The 

 melting of the snow had in some places undermined 

 it, and as I travelled over the surface I could hear 

 a torrent rushing under the feet of the mule. Seve- 

 ral times I got oft' to walk, but was obliged to 

 remount, as these animals will not be led by the 

 bridle. My mule was getting tired, his back was 

 rather sore, and so were his feet, when I came to a 

 stream of water about a foot broad, but deep, and 

 which was running under the snow we were cross- 

 ing. The snow had fallen into this stream in two 



